(adj) :
of fundamental importance; describing a number used in counting, e.g., one, two, three
"a cardinal rule"
(n) :
a number indicating quantity, or the size of a set, e.g., one, two, three. (See Wikipedia article on Cardinal number.); an official in the Catholic Church, ranking only below the Pope and the patriarchs. (See Wikipedia article on Catholic cardinals.)
"the commonest numerals in Latin, as in English, are the "cardinals"...and the "ordinals"... -- F. M. Wheelock, Wheelock's Latin, 6th ed. revised (2005), p97"
(adj) :
of fundamental importance; describing a number used in counting, e.g., one, two, three
"a cardinal rule"
(n) :
a number indicating quantity, or the size of a set, e.g., one, two, three. (See Wikipedia article on Cardinal number.); an official in the Catholic Church, ranking only below the Pope and the patriarchs. (See Wikipedia article on Catholic cardinals.)
"the commonest numerals in Latin, as in English, are the "cardinals"...and the "ordinals"... -- F. M. Wheelock, Wheelock's Latin, 6th ed. revised (2005), p97"